University of Central Oklahoma
THEVISTA
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JAN 30, 2014 UCO Partners With YMCA for Growing Benefits Natalie Cartwright
Staff Writer The University of Central Oklahoma has partnered with the Edmond YMCA to provide a community garden this spring, offering students, faculty and staff, the opportunity to grow their own produce. “By growing our own produce, we can bring forth healthier, more organic foods at a lesser expense,” said Sustainability Coordi-
nator for UCO Tim Tillman. A community garden, defined by Tillman, is an area set-aside for members of the community to grow their own food. The garden, which is located on the east side of the YMCA off Rankin Street in Edmond, is a quarter of an acre in size and holds approximately 10 beds, measuring 10 feet by five feet, Tillman said.
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The community garden is located on the east side of the YMCA off Rankin Street in Edmond. Photo by Brooks Nickell, The Vista.
Enrollment Rates Drop While Students Increase Courseload Tyler Talley
Staff Writer University of Central Oklahoma enrollment rates are down roughly one percent this semester, following a record setting enrollment rate in spring of 2013. Dr. Myron Pope serves as Central’s Vice President for Enrollment Management, as well as the Interim Vice President of Student Affairs. His responsibilities include heading up UCO’s efforts in recruiting students and seeing that they receive an effective enrollment experience while they earn their degree at the university. “We had a record number last spring,” Pope said. “That record was about 16,000 some odd students.” In the spring of 2013, UCO saw exactly 16,018 students enroll for the new semester. This semester, exactly 15,844 students were enrolled before the drop-off date of Jan. 24. Pope said that while the numbers may ultimately come up short, they will be close to the record breaking numbers of the spring 2013 semester. He went on to say that while the overall headcount is down, the students that are here are taking more credit hours. “Let’s say you have ten students. Those ten students took ten hours each. That’s 100 credit hours. However, this year, you only have eight students who are taking 15 hours. Eight times
Enrollment Numbers • In Spring 2013 UCO saw 16,018 students enroll for the new semester. • Exactly 15,844 students were enrolled before the drop-off date of Jan. 24 for the spring 2014 semester.
15. That’s 120. That’s why you see that difference between headcount percentage versus credit hour percentage,” Pope said. Pope then said the estimated total credit hours of all students currently enrolled at UCO this semester was about 177,000 credit hours. He said a va“Let’s say you have ten students. Those ten sturiety of readents took ten hours each. That’s 100 credit hours. sons could be provided as to However, this year, you only have eight students why students who are taking 15 hours. Eight times 15. That’s are now enrolling in more 120. That’s why you see that difference between classes. headcount percentage versus credit hour percent(Vice President “We are seeage.” ing many students who are moving from Dr. Myron Pope institution to (Vice President for Enrollment Management) institution in terms of taking students. It is something that I believe is a product of connivance,” Pope said. “Some students are seeing they are living in Oklahoma City and they try and take Students walk to and from class in the cold on Jan. 29, 2014. Dr. Myron as many classes, but they’re working to fit something into their schedule. Maybe they are Pope said that while the overall head count is down, the students that are here are taking more credit hours. Photo by Aliki Dyer, The Vista.
What is the difference between enrollment numbers and credit hours taken?
taking classes at OCCC or Rose. Maybe this semester they are finding more hours here or perhaps more students are finding more money, take additional classes here.” Pope expanded on this by highlighting the service that UCO provides students with unique needs and come from less than ideal financial situations. “We understand that we fit a very unique niche in terms of higher education in the state of Oklahoma,” Pope said. “Being here in the metro, I think up to 50 percent of our students are first generation. Many of our students are low income. Many of our students are independent students. They don’t have their parents’ support, and if they don’t have access to higher education here, they are more than likely not going to have it all. We feel like we need to do everything possible to make students successful.” Pope went on to detail the various ways his office goes about encouraging students to enroll. These methods include sending emails to students that have not enrolled for the upcoming semester, reminding them of the impending deadlines to do so, as well as offering financial assistance to students who may be in tricky financial situations or have outstanding balances. “From our perspective, we want students to graduate. And if there is a student who can’t get enrolled and are fairly close to being able to enroll based upon their outstanding balance, we try to help them out,” Pope said. Concerning the lower enrollment rate, Pope once again said that a variety of reasons could be given that is out of the university’s control, such as the death of a loved one, an overwhelmingly busy schedule, or transferring to another university. He then said that if a student leaves, due to an issue within the control of the university, his office will work with said student and do its best to access the situation. “If it’s something related to UCO in terms of the student not being able to afford UCO or just not feeling like they were supported while they were here, those are things control,” Pope said. “If those are the variable that impacted the student’s decision, we try and work with the student to get them back and overcome that.” “This is a great place to be, but sometimes things happen, and if there are things that occur or things that we can control, let’s try to mitigate those things,” said Pope. Pope concluded by saying that regardless of
“We had a record number last spring. That record was about 16,000 some odd students.” Dr. Myron Pope
for Enrollment Management)
whether enrollment numbers are down, his office’s job boils down to making sure that students that remain at Central have a successful experience, and that students that have left and may return to finish their studies at the university may be successful, as well. “We have a responsibility to the state to creating a well-educated citizenry,” Pope said. “We are constantly thinking of ways that we can change to make students more successful.”